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September 2018: 10 people August 2018: 5 people July 2018: 8 people June 2018: 8 people May 2018: 7 people April 2018: 24 people March 2018: 13 people February 2018: 8 people January 2018: 17 people |
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Member Stats
113 Total Posts
Sailing Locations
Liverpool Model Boat Club
Since: 17th Mar 2013 
Hoylake Model Boat Club
Since: 9th Feb 2014 
Runcorn Model Boat Club
Since: 5th Apr 2016 Harbour
Avanti
Type: Other
Deans Marine RTTL
Type: Other |
Captain
52 points away from Admiral!
Points
748 Total Points
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United Kingdom
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Hi Onetenor Fuji 15 was a good glow engine which I don't think it is manufactured any more. Aero version max B.H.P was just below .40 when tested. If it was in a model aircraft it would have been around .20 to .25 depending on prop size which was good then for a small capacity glowplug . Marine versions when on the water put out a little less and the water cooled jacket was never as efficient as the finned cylinder jacket of the aero version. My two Aerokits boats, the Sea Commander and the Crash Tender are powered by single Speed 600 motors running on either 8.4 or 9.6 volt Ni Mh batteries. Performance is equal to that of marine diesel power such as the 2.46 Ed Racer and D.C 2.46 Rapier, the latter I used to watch in the fast steering events in the early 1960s at Fleetwood and Coronation Park in Crosby just outside Liverpool. Taycol powered versions would be obviously slower due to the additional weight were far more reliable and you did not have to put up with injuries from excessive use of a starting cord with kids watching and "extracting the urine" shouting "why wont it go mister". Boaty
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Found on E Bay but sold in June of this year, a 42 inch kit of a Simplas Marine Construction Vosper M.T.B. It would appear that there are not many about now. I built one in 1972 and the kit contained a fibreglass hull with all fittings including the guns being in cast metal. Deck and superstructure were plywood and the boat was a model of an early Vosper as it had a very narrow beam and torpedo tubes were towards the stern. I fitted a DC Sabre 1.5cc diesel but had to add a lot of ballast which resulted in a sharp drop in performance. This was solved by replacing the Sabre with a Fuji 15 marine version glowplug engine . The boat was free running and as I was on an apprentice engineers pay and could not afford r.c.as I was having to support an ageing Mini. This was my transport from Ellesmere Port to the boating lake in New Brighton. If I had bought a Taycol Supermarine motor it would have solved all my problems as the battery would have been the ballast. Boaty 😁
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I had an MFA Spearfish in the mid 1990s and it was powered by an MFA Marlin or should I say underpowered. The Marlin was a good motor but was not really suitable for fast craft such as a powerboat or fast service launch like an M.T.B. I understand that MFA did an 850 which was for fast scale type models but in the end I put an Irvine 25 I.C in the Spearfish. At the time there was a motor called a Buhler which I think was Swiss . I used one😁 in my Perkassa running on nicads which performed very well. For the Aerokits P.T boat there are a lot of suitable brushless motors around and running on lipos will certainly give you all the speed you want.😁 Boaty
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[Score: 9/10] 29"/1200g Avanti Capable of 15mph and a runtime of 5mins Single Propellor (2 Blade X Type 35mm) Direct Drive to a OBL29/19-15M (2 Blade X Type) Powered by LiPoly (11.1v) 15Amp/h Batteries Controlled Through BLC-40M (25Amps) ESC - Comments: ARTR fast electric by Thunder Tiger. Deep vee powered by Ripper Brushless outrunner. Will reach 30mph+ when flat out. I replaced the radio that came with the boat with stick operated Futaba T2HR as I preferred "stick" to wheel for sailing fast boats. Initial problem was slight leak where stern tube passes through the transom but soon fixed it with epoxy. Electrics are in a box at the stern which is appears to be water resistant. Though not for a raw beginner, it is great for a second boat especially if someone is hoping to move on to a 6S . If not , it makes a good all rounder and is ideal for club fast electric racing and it performs well when doing tight turns. Boaty
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Interesting restoration project . Great fan of Taycols myself though its some 24 years since I had one. The motors themselves are bristling with character as you can see the armature rotating and you do get the smell of something electrical along with it. Taycols go further than being just power units as they are good ballast due to their weight. Unfortunately through progress they have been replaced by little tin cans and brushless devices. Hopefully someday a person or a company will put them back in production due to the number of retro boat kits now being sold. Boaty
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I bought an Italeri PT109 kit in 2011. It took 4 months to build as I had other projects on at the time. I notices the high quality of the parts, especially the hull and the actual paint finish was very easy due to it being plastic and got the nearest colour match by using Humbrol spray acrylic of Grass Green with Regency Red acrylic for the waterline and below. Difficult decision was as to build as a triple screw to maintain scale or go for the single screw. I eventually went for the latter with just one rudder. Power was by a 480 brushed flight motor with a 30 amp esc which was a bit over the top as power was by a 2200mAh 2S Lipo but the esc was the only one they had in the shop. Getting the motor installed was very straight forward as it was done before the deck was fitted but I had to make the aft cabin detachable for access to taking the battery in and out and also lubricating the propshaft .The boat performed well at scale speed but got slightly out of shape when full power was applied, appearing more as a fast electric. Overall the boat was ideal for smaller ponds (providing it was not running flat out). The outcome was a well detailed model that appeared like the real thing on the water but I would not recommend sailing it in rough conditions.. Boaty😁
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I had this situation on an old Aerokits Crash Tender that I restored. Though there was no motor with it and the hull was in a very poor state I noticed the stern tube was plain steel with no evidence of bearings though the prop shaft was a good fit. I got round this by lubricating the shaft with Marine Grease (Dynamite Marine) which is a blue grease that I use on my fast electrics. This can be purchased from Wheelspin Models. You can also purchase a grease gun from them which is very useful as you can fill the whole stern tube . On my fast electrics the flexi drive to the prop is in a nylon sleeve that is flexible but does not have bearings installed. As the brushless motor exceeds 22,000 rpm I can confirm that the grease does a good job as I have not had a failure with it. Boaty😁👍
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SLEC do have a good reputation and its great that the classic kits of old are back in production. The Sea Commander is one of my favourites as I restored one many years ago but foolishly sold it to fund my karting activities four years later. However in 2011 I found another one and restored that. This one I am keeping along with the 34 inch Crash Tender of 1962 vintage that I restored in 2014 being one that the former owner was about to place in a skip. I am interested in a Sea Rover as its a boat I never had. In the early 1960s when we lived in Liverpool, dad would take us up to Fleetwood to see the Aerokits display and watch the steering event on the big lake. Nostalgia aint what it used to be. Boaty😆
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Does anyone know what happened to the two Crash Tenders after they were sold in 1958? I have tried several avenues for exploring this but nothing had come to light as yet. Could it be that they might have been used as targets but this was never recorded? Boaty😁
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The Nor Star Kingfisher is a heavy boat for its size and the positioning of the motor and prop shaft angle certainly matter. I built one in 1972 powered by a DC Sabre marine diesel (1.5cc) and the engine was in the cockpit which made it heavy at the bow. I was disappointed by its poor performance in relation to other boats of similar dimensions, in some cases these being powered by 1 cc diesels. It never crossed my mind that I could have used "ballast" and the boat was sold on 7 months later at a greatly reduced price. "Fools rush in where experts fear to tread." Boaty😎
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Hi Mzee Re hovercraft, it may be worth looking at information around models by the late Ray Malmstrom. He was an ace when it came to designing unorthodox models and another source would be the Plans Handboook. I remember this in the mid 1960s and there was plenty to choose from as they had a special section on such. This included anything from hydroplanes, prop driven racing cars and hydrofoils etc. Another source could be the Eagle Annual from around the same period. Though the Eagle was a comic, the Annual did have articles around the latest technology of the day. Even if you could not obtain the Annual itself I am sure there would be archives on the Internet. Hope you have success with your venture, it sounds exciting. Boaty😁😎
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Thanks Westquay. I like your comments about air boats not being used much anyway. This is very true. Even if the boat was powered by an electric motor there would always be some miserable sod who would complain about the rotating airscrew. Boaty😁😎👍
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I recently acquired an air screw driven hydroplane fitted with an A.M 15 diesel engine. The boat appeared to have either been from the Mercury Kit which was produced from the early 1960s till late 1970s or may have been built from the plans. What was unusual is that it had been fitted with R.C for rudder only operation and when I put a receiver in to try it, the system worked well. I also ran the engine and it appears to have been as new and after examination of the boat this appeared to have not been used either. In the 1960s I had built a couple of airscrew boats and they were free running powered by engines taken from my control line model aircraft after they had been pranged. Intentions are to eventually get the hydroplane on the water with brushless electric power due to the "No I.C" rules on my local boating lakes, something I never had to worry about as a 15 year old . Boaty😎
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The Aerokits P.T boat is a semi scale model based upon the Elco 80ft PT boat of WW2. The most famous of these being PT109 whose skipper was John F Kennedy who later became President of the U.S.A. Though the Aerokits version is semi scale there is scope for minor modifications to bring it up to scale. There is a lot of information around on the internet and articles in related magazines etc which will provide modelers with good guidelines for achieving this. Due to the size of the Aerokits version there is plenty of room in the hull both for a single motor version or a triple one, the latter bringing it up to true scale. Though there are manufacturers who produce replicas of Aerokits I have not seen one for the P.T Boat but with a bit of searching,😁😁 plans can be found. Boaty
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Looks like a real bargain. Great when you have a model to sail and also display on your window sill. I built an Italeri PT 109 six years ago and this is the same. Its very rewarding when you motorise a plastic kit as when at the lakeside people come up and say did you really build that. Plastic magic never fails. Boaty😎
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Nostalgia aint what it used to be. The U44 model is excellent and it is so authentic. Remember the Sutcliffe toys back in the 50s, I think they also made a sub but not actually a scale one. Never had one myself but I did have the Bluebird which I think was Malcolm Campbell's as it was a lot different from the K7 which Donald had. I have a vague memory that Sutcliffes did bring out a later model of the Bluebird and I would like to hear from anyone who may have had one . Boaty😁
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I understand the Veron RTTL kit was first sold around the late 1950s , early 60s. I got a boxed unbuilt one in 1995 from a local model shop whom had taken it in as part ex for another boat. I decided to build it instead of keeping it boxed as a collectors item. It was a nice lightweight boat which I powered with a brushed 550 motor running off a 7.2 Ni Cad. I held onto it for a couple of years before trading it in the same shop where I bought it for a fast electric kit. With hindsight, I feel I should have kept the RTTL as they are very rare classic models now. Boaty😁
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I have had this problem several times myself especially with fast electrics when they "flip" over. At present I take my old Aerokits Sea Commander with me to use as a rescue boat but there is always some element of difficulty when trying to line it up with the upturned craft. How you deal with it depends on the size of your boating lake. On small ones it is possible to have a vertical pole mounted on the bank with a long length of string attached to it. You then roll out the string and walk round until the string makes contact with your boat then slowly walk back bringing the boat to the side. Building a rescue craft like you describe is perfectly normal as I have seen them from time to time and also you see them on You Tube when retrieving usually (you guess it), a fast electric in distress. Good luck with your project and you can also disguise your "rescue boat" to look like a pusher tug etc.😁
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Hi Martin Many years since my last Taycol Target I had in a Sea Scout. It did the job okay but re batteries and interference with the radio, I don't think people have the knowledge and skills these days to actually set them up correctly. Everything seems to be taken over by "plug and play" where the younger generation want something they can sail as opposed to learning skills to build models . Boaty😎
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Great job being done there Martin. My memories were of my Veron Viceroy in the 1960s with Taycol Asteroid sailing on New Brighton model boating lake rapidly going through 4.5 volt cycle lamp batteries wired up in series. I am made up to see a very original Crash Tender as the one I have now is a 1962 version I restored in 2014 from a wreck that was about to be binned which I bought for next to nothing from another person. in Ellesmere Port . On examination there was no evidence of the boat having an I.C engine but I did manage to find some mounting holes which appeared to match those of a Taycol Standard. This was a coincidence as Taycol did use photos of a 34 inch Crash Tender powered by the Standard in some of their advertisments including the leaflet that was supplied in the box with their range of motors. Boaty😊😊
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😁Had this problem back in the mid 1990s with an MFA Spearfish with 12 volt set up and 40 MHz radio. In one part of the lake it appeared to lose radio contact which was puzzling. A fellow model boat user said he thought it was interference from radios in taxis that were operating close by. Never really got to the bottom of it but the fellow enthusiasts explanation appeared to have logic to it due to the close taxi operation. Boaty😁
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Hi CB90 Have you tried Dave Marles at Prestwich Model Boats? He is an expert on this sort of thing and he fixed me up with a prop for my Proboat Blackjack recently. Its worth giving Dave a call as he may know where you can find one even if he has not got one in stock. Boaty😋
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Like the fine detail. It shows that a masterpiece can be made of models with the skills and patience. I restored a 34 inch Fire Boat in 2014. Got it for almost nothing as it was a complete wreck and was heading for the nearest skip. Outcome was very rewarding but I never thought of doing a detailed interior as such. Mmm, its given me ideas now, only thing I want is the time to do it. B😊oaty
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I have a liking for Italeri kits myself. Built the Vosper MTB in 2011 then the PT 109 a few years later. They really perform well either with single or triple props. Both of mine have 480 brushed motors, single props, and 2s Lipo 2200mAh. Ideal for small ponds where you can maintain scale speeds and if easy on the throttle you can have a decent endurance before the battery goes flat. Boaty😁
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You're very lucky to have access to lakes such as those. I wish we had some like that here in Cheshire. I could run my fast electric flat out. I have tried a couple of sailing clubs who use the Cheshire Meres but they don't cater for models. Boaty😁
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Good example of an early Sea Commander. The original ones did have three windows on each side of the main cabin. Somehow as time went on the large cabin window appeared in their place. Build quality looks excellent and it should be a gem after restoration.😋
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Great lake with beautiful scenery. Hope your gala day goes ahead with a full attendance. Boaty😁
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4 years ago I restored an old 34 inch Aerokits Crash tender. I used filler for any gaps in the joints then prepared the hull with sanding sealer having got it really smooth. For the rest of the paintwork I first used Halfords primer then used their acrylic for the final colours. I gave it four coats of colour leaving it over a day between each coat. When painting was finished and after checking it was fully dry, I rubbed the hull down lightly using Maguires scratch remover, (also from Halfords) and got a nice shine between the deck and the red waterline. It seems to have lasted well as it has not crazed over this amount of time. The total cost of the primer, paint and especially the scratch remover was not cheap but in the long run it did work. Boaty🤓
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Very nice model. The moulding looks of good quality and there is opportunity for a lot of detail to be added. Sailing at scale speed it will appear very realistic and should look great on the water. Boaty😊
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Good to mention the 40 inch length hull ref ease of transportation. I adhere to this as well due to there not being much room in the car. Back in the 1960s I had a very large pond yacht which we struggled to get into the back of dad's Austin A40. To add to all this we had to remove the rigging so it would fit in the back. Things got worse when dad was at work and grandad and I used to take it on the bus. Cant do that now as health and safety has taken over and we don't want passengers contacting a "no win no fee" solicitor. Boaty😋
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